The present invention relates to a specialty hand-held optical fiber insertion apparatus that may be used to insert optical fibers into a flexible substrate, e.g., fabric, such as clothing, a hat, etc., or rigid or semi-rigid displays or signs. More specifically, the substrate is a semi-rigid base or planar surface for supporting the fiber optic display in the desired patterned array so that the ends of each optical fiber, arranged individually or in organized bundles, create the pre-determined and desired illuminated effect of the fiber optic display. The present invention allows the user, for the first time, to utilize a hand-held insertion apparatus to insert and arrange optical fiber ends individually for more intricate designs and displays of varying color lights, which require specialized attention to detail.
This type of technology has been virtually non-existent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,753 [Schwar et al.] teaches an automated machine for implanting optical fibers. The machine is comprised of a frame, for supporting a fiber inserter above a fiber insertion table, which pierces the interposed fabric (or semi-rigid, flexible) panel at a desired point of insertion and carries the optical fiber to the underside of the panel through an opening in the fiber insertion table for immersion into and removal from a liquid adhesive subsequently exposed to irradiation by ultra-violet light to cure and set the adhesive. This exposure to the ultra-violet light causes a change in state of the adhesive from the liquid to the solid state resulting in the permanent adherence of the optical fiber to the panel at the point of insertion. However, this machine fails to provide the kind of autonomy in design and hand-held convenience, i.e. freedom of motion, that the present invention provides.
In contradistinction, the present invention is a hand-held device, not a complex stationary machine with a pre-determined pattern for insertion of optical fibers, which allows the user greater freedom in design and attention to detail. Further, the present invention can insert the optical fiber from either side of the supportive panel or fabric and allows the user to secure the fiber to the substrate by hand-applying a quick cure adhesive, e.g., warmed air, specialized light, or heat cured adhesive. While the present invention may utilize ultraviolet light for further curation, it is not a necessary element, as is taught in the Schwar et al. patent. In fact, due to the nature of the present invention, air and heat adhesives are preferred over use of ultra-violet cured adhesives. Further, single or bundled optical fibers in an intricate or difficult design must be implanted by hand and to date, an apparatus has not been available to perform the required operation. Thus, the present invention overcomes this considerable setback by providing a novel and important contribution to the field.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fiber inserting apparatus that is hand-held, portable, and allows the user the autonomy to create specialized patterns and illuminate more intricate designs with fiber optics than prior inventions have in the past. Further, it is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for implanting a plurality of optical fibers manually and allowing the user to combine and sort the optical fibers into ordered bundles as desired.
It is another object of the present invention to allow the user to have ultimate autonomy in securing the optical fiber to the substrate once it has been inserted into the substrate and positioned appropriately. The user may then place the adhesive of choice on the outer surface of the optical fiber touching either the outer or inner surface of the substrate simultaneously and cure the adhesive such that the substrate and the optical fiber are securely adhered to each other.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.
The present invention provides a tangible solution to the considerable setbacks experienced with the prior inventions by providing an apparatus that allows the user to implant single or bundles of optical fibers by hand so that the user has greater autonomy in designing creative patterning for illuminated animations. Further, the fibers of the present invention may be secured in place by a hand applied quick-cure adhesive, thus allowing greater control over elaborate and complex designs. As a result, the user is capable of completing more intricate, free-hand designs than could be obtained from prior machines.
More specifically, the present invention is a hand-held apparatus for inserting one or more optical fibers into one or more insertion points in a flexible or semi-rigid panel having a uniform planar surface. The hand-held apparatus has an external housing for containing therewithin a drive means, a fiber feed means and a fiber severing means. The drive means includes an electrically operable and switchable motor drive coupled to the fiber feed means for operably controlling at least one or more segments of fiber feed rollers for feeding a length of optical fiber through one or more segments of a fiber guide means and into the fiber severing means. The fiber severing means is aligned with the fiber guide means to receive the length of optical fiber and pass the fiber through to a fiber insertion tool that is fixedly mounted to the front of the external housing and adjacent to the fiber severing means. The present invention further comprises a controller for selecting variable time periods in which said drive means is operably engaged to play out one or more pre-determined lengths of fiber corresponding to said time period.
The fiber insertion tool is aligned with the fiber severing means to receive the length of fiber and pass the fiber through a central hollow in the tool through a panel once the fiber insertion tool has pierced the panel at the desired point if insertion. Once the length of fiber has been positioned in the panel and a sufficient length of additional fiber for grouping and bundling has been played out from the fiber means, the fiber severing means is engaged. The fiber severing means is comprised of a severing blade attached to a severing handle, which when manually engaged, cooperate with each together to propel the blade into the fiber severing area to cut the fiber.
The present invention also proposes a preferred method for inserting one or more optical fibers into a flexible or semi-rigid panel having a uniform planar surface utilizing a hand-held portable optical fiber inserter comprising several steps. First, a length of optical fiber is fed into a fiber feed means of the optical inserter by moving through one or more segments of fibers guide means. The length of optical fiber is continuously fed through one or more segments of a second fiber guide means and into an aligned receiver of the fiber severing means and then into an aligned central hollow of the fiber insertion tool. The panel opposite the fiber insertion tool is then pierced with the fiber insertion tool at the desired point of insertion while carrying a length of the optical fiber through to the opposite side of the panel. A pre-determined length of fiber is played out that is sufficient for adhering the optical fiber to the panel and withdrawing the fiber insertion toll from the panel. Adhesive is applied between the optical fiber and the panel at one or more locations, which is cured causing a change in state of the adhesive permanently adhering to the optical fiber and the panel at the point of insertion. After the adhesive is cured, an additional length of optical fiber is played out such that the length is sufficient to gather the optical fiber with other optical fibers that may be sorted or grouped into one or more locations in a fiber sorting holder. The length of the optical fiber may further be played out in accordance with a variable control for selecting lengths of fiber to be played out from the portable inserter. Lastly, the length of the optical fiber is severed by engaging a fiber cutter in the fiber severing means for placing the cut end of the optical fiber in the fiber sorting holder.